Anna vs Tomatoes
by jowjubeat
Summary: "And that's how it would always go. At least once a week with some sort of tomato ordeal; Kratos would battle with his wife, always losing. He would sigh in defeat and force himself to eat whatever Anna placed before him. It was miserable. Today, however, was different." Anna verse Tomatoes - her ordeal with Lloyd and Kratos.


Kratos glowered at the red substance placed before him. It was creamy and had bits of green parsley floating at the top of it. The smell permeated his nose, causing him to grimace.

Tomato soup, again.

Kratos swallowed. Many times he had the battle with Anna about tomato soup. He would stare, unhappily at his meal then glance at his wife, raising his eyebrows as he did. Anna would narrow her eyes, purse her lips, and put her hands on her hips.

"What?" She would demand.

"…"

"What? Speak man!" She would order again.

"This. You know I hate this."

"It's good for you."

"Hmph."

"Oh stop it."

"It's disgusting."

"Tomatoes are cheap – we don't have a lot of money. We can't afford the sacrifice."

"So you'll sacrifice my taste instead?"

"You being unreasonable."

"That fact that these exist is unreasonable."

Anna began to stare daggers at Kratos.

"Kratos," She said with sudden stiff authority, there was an edge of forced sweetness lacing her hard voice; Kratos knew he was in trouble, "Eat. It."

And that would be the end. At this point, Kratos, brave Kratos, who would run into battle with monsters without batting an eye, would always pick up his spoon obediently and stare at the revolting substance before him just to spare himself the terror of his wife's anger. He glanced up one more time, his eyes almost pleading.

"Now." Sounded the stern demand.

Kratos would suppress a shudder as he placed the warm, velvety liquid into his mouth. He contained gags and grimaces as he felt chunks of heated tomato roll around on his tongue. His face remained flinty, his motions mechanical until the entire meal was done.

Anna would beam, pat her husband on the head and give him a rewarding kiss on the cheek.

Kratos felt he wanted to die.

And that's how it would always go. At least once a week with some sort of tomato ordeal; Kratos would battle with his wife, always losing. He would sigh in defeat and force himself to eat whatever Anna placed before him. It was miserable.

Today, however, was different.

Anna once again brought out tomato soup – the most odious of tomato creations other than the actual atrocity itself. Kratos swallowed and closed his eyes as the bowl was placed before him.

"No fuss." Anna ordered.

"No fwuss!" A little voice echoed. Kratos lifted his bowed head to see his small toddler pointing a chubby finger at him. Brown hair shot out of the little boy's head in great tufts, Kratos' own brown eyes stared back at him from underneath the little boy's knitted eyebrows. There was a difference however: Kratos eyes were despondent with the thought of tomatos, Lloyd's shone with merriment at the sight of his dejected father. Kratos narrowed his eyes at his son and Lloyd let out a high-pitched giggle, clapping his hands as he did.

"Dada!" He squealed.

Kratos smiled slightly at his son before returning his gaze to his meal. The smirk soon dissipated as he his gaze once again met the abhorrent creation before him. His lip twitched.

He heard a clink and looked up to see Anna had given Lloyd a bowl of soup as well.

"Oh no," Kratos said, suddenly overcome with concern for his son, "Anna, don't give him that…"

"Why? He's perfectly old enough. It's time he started eating something other than baby food. You didn't complain last night when I gave him some ice cream."

That was different – Kratos wasn't concerned about his son eating solid food, he was concerned what the acrid tomatoes would do to his son's tender maturing taste buds.

"It's just…" Kratos started his gaze averting his wife's sharp eyes, "The tomatoes…"

Anna's face dropped into a scowl, she placed her hands on her hips once more, "Kratos Aurion, if I hear you complain one more time about tomatoes I swear I will…"

She didn't finish her threat as she was interrupted by a sudden cry coming from her small son. Both of the parents glanced up worriedly at their son.

"Lloyd, baby, what is it!" Anna suddenly cooed, walking over to her distraught son. Lloyd tears almost immediately subsided and only a few slid down his round cheeks. His face was red and her nose had started to run. He pointed his to his spoon that had fallen on the floor.

"Dis." He said quietly, his voice laced with tears and sobs, "dis!" he repeated frantically.

"Aw," Anna coddled, "You dropped your spoon! I'll go get you another one." He voice hardened as she looked at Kratos, "Start eating." She demanded coldly.

Kratos shuddered and picked up his spoon. He still hadn't touched the creamy liquid by the time Anna came back with another spoon. She handed it to Lloyd who promptly through it to the floor.

"Lloyd!" Anna cried catching the spoon before it clattered to the floor below. Kratos watched in amusement – perhaps he could get out of eating a bit longer while Lloyd distracted Anna.

"No!" Lloyd's firm voice came; his eyebrows were knitted together in anger and determination.

"You don't want to do it? Okay, I'll feed you." Anna replied grabbing a chair and placing it next to her small son. She dipped the spoon into the rank syrup and lifted it to her son. Lloyd began to hyperventilate and pushed himself as far back in his high chair as he could.

"No!" Lloyd yelled.

"What, baby, it's only a spoon! It's okay! See?" Anna explained as she lifted the spoon to her mouth and took a sip, Lloyd reached out his hand to his mother in concern.

"Mama! No!" he cried in alarm.

"Mmm, see?"

Lloyd looked at his mother worriedly, his little mouth gaping open.

"Your turn!" Anna sang, quickly placing the spoon in her son's open mouth. Immediately Lloyd's eyes enlarged to twice their size, then tightened in disapproval. He lout a small moan from his closed lips then, suddenly.

"PFFFFFFTTTTT!" Lloyd spat. Kratos watched in horror as sticky red liquid plastered his wife's face. Time seemed to be still and Kratos watched as he wife's face froze in shock and horror.

Lloyd let out a small burp and then whimpered. His face then suddenly turned hard and he pointed at the bowl in front of him.

"No." Lloyd said sternly.

"I don't think he likes tomatoes…." Kratos suddenly said quietly.

"Shut up." Anna replied, quickly grabbing Lloyd's bowl and then walking over to Kratos. Without a word she picked up his bowl too and walked off to the kitchen, muttering as she did, "You're both dead."

Silence and stiffness descended on the table as Anna's fowl temper seeped from the kitchen and fell on two men in her house. Kratos remained still for a moment, staring at the table. He swallowed and glanced up at his son. Lloyd too, who was looking down at the remains of spat up tomato soup, slowly lifted his head towards his father. His eyes were big and his little lips were pressed tightly together.

Then, suddenly Kratos smiled at his small son.

Lloyd returned him with a toothless beam.

Then father and son both began to chuckle softly.

"Stop it!" A roar came from the kitchen. Both father and son looked away from each other, small smiles still spread across their features.

Anna never cooked tomato soup again.


End file.
